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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24896893">Hand-Cake</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/starspawnedwarlock/pseuds/starspawnedwarlock'>starspawnedwarlock</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Homestuck</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 02:02:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,549</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24896893</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/starspawnedwarlock/pseuds/starspawnedwarlock</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>i wrote this today for jaylin so uh</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jade Harley/Aradia Megido</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Hand-Cake</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> Aradia blinked hard a few times, as she spotted something in the endless depths of the outer rim. After making sure that she simply wasn't seeing things, a great smile resumed on her face, as she began to fly towards the object. She figured that her journey had left the clusters of dreambubbles long ago, but she must have been wrong, seeing the yellow shape slowly becoming bigger as she sailed through the void towards it. </p><p> It had been an insufferably long amount of time since she had caught sight of any sign of other people in the outer rim. She didn't have a seer or any such things to chart a path through the endlessness to a destination, so instead she just flew in what she hoped was one direction. It would be altogether disappointing should it turn out that she was going in circles, after all.</p><p> She wondered what conglomerate of ghosts she would find here. She found it an exciting thought, to meet all these new iterations of old faces, and to ask them about the lives they lived, and the deaths they experienced. Perhaps the second more than the first. </p><p> It was only a few minutes later that she began to notice the peculiar shape of the object. It couldn't be a dreambubble, with a shape like that. She raised an eyebrow as she soared towards it, and began to make out the outline of it more clearly.</p><p> It wasn't for another minute until she understood what she was looking at, having a recollection of them in her session. The massive prospitan battleship was clearly before her, although it had a noticeable lack of white carapacians manning the stations that were usually occupied.  </p><p> Aradia ground to a halt, beholding the ship before her, the gold reflective surface having an odd quality to it, being perfectly visible in a place with no light. She decided not to pay too much attention to it, considering how it made her head ache. Instead she flew up to the deck, looking around for whatever she could find. </p><p> Perhaps it was a stray prospitan vessel from their, or one of their friends sessions. An awful long time to be adrift. She hoped it wouldn't be a depressing disocvery, by any means. She reasoned that there wouldn't be any ghosts on it, since they weren't like to appear outside of the bubbles. Whatever the nature of the vessel was, Aradia was excited to discover it, her smile still hadn't left her face.</p><p> The deck was completely empty, although she caught sight of the signs of life, numerous as they were. Random objects in no way related to war scattered about, and some splashes of what looked like... food? She approached a small pile of it, looking like a dish that had been thrown with a vengeance, and stuck her finger in, before bringing it to her lips.</p><p> It was sweet. She stood for a moment, tempted to take another bite, before reaching down to simply pick up a small bit handful. It didn't exactly look dignified, but she didn't really care. There was an off chance it was poisoned as well, but that was neither a heroic nor a just death, in her eyes.</p><p> She took an idle bite of the food in her hand, before coming to the doors to the interior of the battleship. With A lazy drag, she pulled open the doors and set foot inside, noting that the light were all on. She could faintly hear some activity far away, and was more than eager to investigate. </p><p> The corridors echoed slightly with her footsteps against the odd yellow metal, as she made her way deeper into the ship. What horrors would she uncover, she wondered, her mind buzzing at the prospects.</p><p> A minute or so of exploration later and she came to the source of the loudest noise, the great clamoring that could be hear reverberating throughout the entire ship. Her free hand was almost shaking as it reached out to open the door, while her other indulged her into another bite. </p><p> With a grander flourish than her previous door opening exploits, Aradia threw open the door, and took a step back when she saw what was beyond.</p><p> "Now that... is something."</p><p> The mass of carapacians of both colours, consorts of many species and colour, participating at what vaguely resembled an organised meal. She couldn't exactly tell, what with all the flood being flung around, the screaming and the scurrying of sprites that she was sure that she recognised.</p><p> She was pondering taking a step in and rendering herself a part of the festivites as well, before there was a yelp from across the large canteen, then a flash of green beside her. </p><p> Rather dazed, Aradia looked beside her, throwing up her eyebrow at the appearance of Jade, smile so big it could rival the volume of the Megido's herself. </p><p> "Hi!" Her eyes were wide and almost seemed to sparkle as she yelled her greeting.</p><p> "Hello!" Aradia responded, taken aback by the dog girl's sudden appearance, but pleased nonetheless.</p><p> "What are you doing here?" Jade asked, still too pleased to let her grin relent for even a moment.</p><p> "I was just flying by, uh... you?"</p><p> "Oh, nothing, you know!" She laughed at the question. Aradia did, in fact, not know.</p><p> There was a moment of awkward silence, as Aradia was unsure of exactly where to bring this mysterious meeting to. She was noticeably poorer at dealing with the predicaments of the living, it seemed. </p><p> "So, how did you get here?" Jade enquired further, her hands coming up to claps each other.</p><p> "I just flew through the outer rim for a while, mostly because I got curious."</p><p> "Can you fly back?" Her eyes were as wide as Aradia reckoned humans could get them.</p><p> "Maybe? I kinda just flew in a random direction, could take a year of flying in a direction just to find another bubble."</p><p> Jade shoulder's slouched, but only for a moment, before they perked back up.</p><p> "Oh well, here let me show you around!" She yipped, before grabbing Aradia by the sleeve and pulling her along with an excited gait.</p><p> "Oh well I think I may not have a choice!" Aradia laughed as she was pulled along, letting herself float a bit, rather than attempt to match the titan-like speed that Jade possessed. </p><p> After a few seconds of running, they arrived at another door, which Jade kicked in, due to what Aradia hoped was her own excitement. She couldn't help but be impressed at the bend in the door, now off it's hinges, as they walked into the room.</p><p> "What do you think?" Jade asked, throwing her arms out extravagantly, attempting to draw attention to the room around her.</p><p> Tearing her eyes away from the dog-girl, Aradia admired the room around her, stuffed with a countless number of computers, no doubt alchemized en masse by Jade and her companions on whatever journey she was on. Actually, she was still curious about that. Especially concerning how long-term this setup seemed to be.</p><p> "Hey, jade?"</p><p> "Yes?" Jade's head perked to even more attention than before. </p><p> "How long have yo-"</p><p> "Oh wait lemme show you something!" The girl interrupted her, dragging her, floating, once again, this time to one of the consoles specifically. Aradia observed the screen for a while, trying to digest the game that was being shown to her.</p><p> "What am I looking at?" she said after a moment, beyond confused.</p><p> "It's the ghostbusters mmorpg!" Jade explained, seeming to think the fact was obvious.</p><p> "That doesn't really clear it up..." Aradia added, eyes narrowed as she tried to make sense of whatever the hell was going on on-screen.</p><p> "Oh come on, let's play! you'll enjoy it!"</p><p> Aradia glanced to the chat, noting an incredible large number of "nak nak nak nak nak nak nak" going on. She looked around the massive computer room and saw the decent number of consorts playing the game as well. As much as she found them entertaining, a certain preparation period was needed before interacting with them.</p><p> "I think I'm good for now, actually." Aradia leaned back away from the computer. </p><p> "Oh come on, no need to-" Jade looked at Aradia's hand.</p><p> "Why do you have cake in your hand?"</p><p> "Ah, so that's what this is." Aradia beamed. "It's very nice."</p><p> "Oh, well if you like cake, come with me!"</p><p> Aradia barely had time to let herself float before she was already speeding out of the room, in tow behind Jade. She supposed it was an effecient form of travel, if she didn't mind having to use her flight in an attempt to ease the wild swings she experienced as they rounded corners in the corridor.</p><p> It was only a few more seconds of the frantic pace jade set through the corridors before they finally stopped, and Jade had to keep a tight hold of Aradia to prevent her from continuing on with her momentum. Aradia couldn't help but laugh loudly at it, which seemed to earn a giggle from Jade as well.<br/>Jade went through the door quickly, although didn't kick it down in her rush like she had the last one. Aradia followed through a few seconds after, eating the last of her hand-cake, most of which had been spread around the corridors behind her during their speeding.</p><p> She raised an eyebrow at the sight that greeted her. Stacks upon stacks of cake lined the walls, in a pristine condition, most unlike the one Aradia had indulged in. The all seemed to be carbon copies of each other, oddly enough. </p><p> "Ta-da!" Jade exclaimed, proudly showing off the room. "Nanna Egbert makes all of these!"</p><p> "The sprite?" Aradia asked, moving towards a particularly inviting looking cake right before her.</p><p> "Yep! She makes hundreds so you can stay here as long as you like." </p><p> Aradia dipped her hand into another cake, refilling her supply. "I think this might be all I need." She smiled at Jade, but noticed a sudden slouch again, before it was cloaked by a happy demeanour once more.</p><p> Aradia thought through what she would say for a few seconds, as Jade seemed to scramble through her thoughts, unsure of what to do or say. She took a bite of her hand-cake. Might as well follow up where she had been interrupted, see how that goes.</p><p> "So Jade, how long have you b-"</p><p> "Hey why don't we go back to the canteen let's go!" She reached out to grab Aradia's arm once again, to resume their high-speed adventure, until Aradia held up her hand, freezing Jade still, as she stepped out of the way, before letting time resume for the girl.</p><p> Jade stumbled forward confused at the sudden disappearance of Aradia, before she spun around to see the girl again, sitting on the only part of the table in the room that wasn't occupied by cake.</p><p> "How long have you been here, Jade?"</p><p> "It's not, important." She shrugged quickly before speaking again "Anyway there's some games the carapacia-"</p><p> "Isn't John supposed to be here?"</p><p> Jade froze.</p><p> "Where is he? He's funny." </p><p> Aradia looked up to the girl, who had gone suddenly quiet. Jade wasn't facing towards her, but Aradia could tell she was shaking.</p><p> "Are you alright?" She stood up and took a step forward. </p><p> "I'm... FINE." </p><p> The Megido saw a single teardrop fall to the floor in front of Jade. Then there was a flash, and the girl was gone. </p><p> "Huh... that doesn't seem normal."</p><p> <br/> Aradia finally walked up to the deck, after what must have been half an hour of wandering the corridors of the ship, looking for the disappearing dog-girl. It was a long and arduous journey, but she was finally left with only the deck, the canteen, the lower floors, the towers and yeah she wasn't anywhere near done searching.</p><p> "I swear you better not be moving around, Jade." She mumbled to herself, flying upwards to observe the entirety of the deck. </p><p> Thankfully, she spotted the girl, sitting at the edge of the ship, feet hanging over the edge. With a refined air to her flight, she lowered down to land beside the girl. </p><p> Jade seemed to startle, but only slightly, as the troll set herself down.</p><p> "Hey." Aradia greeted her, receiving only a half hearted nod in response.</p><p> "So... care to explain?" she asked after a moment.</p><p> Jade slouched even more, running a hand through her hair before looking at the Megido beside her. </p><p> "Yeah, I guess."</p><p> Aradia listened as Jade explained what had happened, and was naturally disturbed. Her head tilted to the side in confusion as Jade describe the sudden explosion and disappearance and death of her brother and boyfriend of sorts.</p><p> She was sufficiently disturbed when Jade finally stopped, even though she had seemed to avoid discussing something important.</p><p> "You seem to be neglecting how it made you feel." Aradia mentioned, shifting a little closer, trying to appear earnest.</p><p> "Like shit?" Jade chuckled, still running her hand through her hair.</p><p> "I think that's a start." Aradia beamed. "As long as you can focus on feeling something, no matter how vague, your on a good path." She leaned back to lie on the ship, her legs still dangling off. "Take it from me, pushing down your feelings to feel nothing at all freakin' sucks."</p><p> She was sure she heard another chuckle from the girl. </p><p> "Much experience?"</p><p> "I mean I was a ghost, then a frog, then a robot, and felt basically nothing during any of it, so..."</p><p> She saw Jade turn to stare at her, looking more confused than ever.</p><p> "I'll explain later." Aradia giggled, before stretching out.</p><p> "There isn't going to be a later though, is there?" Her voice was dejected again, as she looked away.</p><p> Aradia pulled herself up to sitting. "Huh?"</p><p> "Well, you're going to leave now, aren't you?" Jade explained. "No point sticking around here with me, since I can't leave, not without leaving the same way I got in, which is going to take another year or two."</p><p> Aradia shook her head. </p><p> "I said later for a reason. I think I'll stick around for a while, no point not doing so, after all."</p><p> She saw jade's eyes widen to an incredible degree. "You mean it? Really?"</p><p> "Of course!" Aradia laughed, beaming once again.</p><p> "Oh mY GOD!" Jade yelled reaching out to hug the Megido.</p><p> Aradia gasped as Jade's strong arms suddenly wrapped around her, trapping her in a bear hug. But, even with the wind knocked out of her, she couldn't help but laugh along with the girl, who seemed to be entering fits of giggles now. She returned the embrace happily, silently wishing that hugs like this would be a regular occurrence during her stay.</p><p> They stayed there a while, laughing and giggling at either Jade's boundless excitement for the future year, or simple odd things Aradia would say. It wasn't until Jade had grown weary and tired, and she had begun to lean over, her head resting against Aradia's shoulder, that they stopped, Jade nodding off to sleep. </p><p> Aradia looked at the sleeping girl beside her, and burst out one of her wide smiles again. Yeah, she looked forward to what was to come.</p>
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